Plan on about 14 h 21 min of driving for the 558-mile (898 km) trip from Malabrigo to La Merced, before any stops.
Full advisory: Peru. Advisory issued: Peru September 04, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Peru: “Due to road safety risks, U.S. government employees working in Peru are prohibited from nighttime driving.”
| Total distance | 558 mi (898 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 14 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | LI-610 → PE-1N → PE-1NQ → LM-101 → PE-1NE → PE-18 → PA-100 → PE-3N → JU-105 → PE-22B |
| Regions on the route | La Libertad, Áncash, Lima, Pasco, Junín |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Malabrigo–La Merced drive in a few lines
PE-1N (250 mi) and PE-1NE (64 mi) carry about 56% of the 558 miles. It runs through 5 regions: La Libertad, Áncash, Lima, Pasco, Junín. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Malabrigo and La Merced
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI-610 | 0–9 | 9 | La Libertad |
| connecting roads | 9–10 | 1 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 10–36 | 26 | La Libertad |
| local roads | 36–46 | 10 | La Libertad |
| PE-1N | 46–114 | 68 | La Libertad |
| PE-1NQ | 114–137 | 23 | La Libertad, Áncash |
| connecting roads | 137–139 | 2 | Áncash |
| PE-1N | 139–295 | 156 | Áncash, Lima |
| LM-101 | 295–299 | 4 | Lima |
| connecting roads | 299–300 | 1 | Lima |
| PE-1NE | 300–364 | 64 | Lima |
| PE-18 | 364–410 | 46 | Lima, Pasco |
| PA-100 | 410–446 | 36 | Pasco |
| PE-3N | 446–493 | 47 | Pasco, Junín |
| JU-105 | 493–519 | 26 | Junín |
| PE-22B | 519–558 | 39 | Junín |
- Mile 117 of this route: La Libertad → Áncash (region line)
- Mile 258 of this route: Áncash → Lima (region line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Lima → Pasco (region line)
- Mile 463 of this route: Pasco → Junín (region line)
What to see on the way from Malabrigo to La Merced
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Acaray (mile 303)
- Nature and outdoors: Junín National Reserve (mile 459), Catarata de Pacchacoto (mile 500)
- Museums and history: Chan Chan (mile 43), Huacas del Sol y de la Luna (mile 47), Huacas de Moche Museum (mile 47), Cerro Sechín (mile 164), Acaray (mile 303)
Swamps of Huanchaco
Also called the Wetlands of Huanchaco, this reserve at Huanchaco Beach, about 14 km northwest of Trujillo, supplied the reeds that the Moche used to build caballitos de totora fishing boats.
Chan Chan
Five kilometers west of Trujillo, Chan Chan was the capital of the pre-Columbian Chimor kingdom and is now an archaeological site in the La Libertad region.
Huacas del Sol y de la Luna
About five kilometers south of Trujillo in Moche District, the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna are a Moche sanctuary made up of adobe pyramids and monuments.
Huacas de Moche Museum
Opened in June 2010 in La Libertad, the Huacas de Moche Museum was later renamed Museo Santiago Uceda Castillo in honor of its late director.
Cerro Sechín
Cerro Sechín is an archaeological site in Casma Province, Áncash Region, dating to around 1600 BC. Peruvian archaeologists Julio C. Tello and Toribio Mejía Xesspe found it in July 1937.
El Castillo de Huarmey
On Peru's coast in the Ancash Region north of Lima, El Castillo de Huarmey is a pyramid-like site where a royal Wari tomb holding 60 individuals was found undisturbed in 2013.
Acaray
In the Huaura River Valley, the Fortress of Acaray is an archaeological site spread over three hilltops ringed by defensive walls with parapets and bastions.
Junín National Reserve
Junín National Reserve protects Lake Junín and the surrounding wet puna of the central Andes, along with its ecosystem and wildlife, in Peru's Junín region.
Catarata de Pacchacoto
Catarata de Pacchacoto is a waterfall in San Pedro de Cajas district, Tarma Province, in Peru's Junín department.
More drives to La Merced
- Jauja to La Merced
- Lima to La Merced
- Tocache to La Merced
- Juanjuí to La Merced
- Tarapoto to La Merced
- Huancavelica to La Merced
From Malabrigo to other places in Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Malabrigo to La Merced?
About 14 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 558 miles.
How far is La Merced from Malabrigo by car?
About 558 miles (898 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Malabrigo to La Merced?
The U.S. State Department rates Peru Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Malabrigo to La Merced use?
In order: LI-610, PE-1N, PE-1NQ, LM-101, PE-1NE, PE-18, PA-100, PE-3N, JU-105 and PE-22B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Malabrigo to La Merced?
Closest to the road: Cerro Sechín (archaeological site, mile 164, 1 mi from the route); El Castillo de Huarmey (mausoleum, mile 213, 1 mi from the route); Acaray (archaeological site, mile 303, 0.3 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.